The other firing you didn’t hear about

Analysis by Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington

While everyone in Washington was talking about Rex Tillerson, a long-time aide to Donald Trump was shown the White House door.

John McEntee was one of the early Trump campaign true believers who followed the long-shot candidate to the White House – along with Hope Hicks and Dan Scavino. Now, only social media director Mr Scavino remains.

Details of Mr McEntee’s dismissal have been scarce, with only a foreboding report that he was under investigation for “serious financial crimes” – ones not tied to any current Trump controversies.

At the very least, it appears Mr McEntee did not have a permanent security clearance and, with the ongoing criminal investigation, was unlikely to every be granted one.

Mr McEntee’s firing – which reportedly concluded with his being escorted from White House grounds – will likely renew scrutiny of the administration’s background check process that first began after the termination of Rob Porter, another close Trump aide, because of his own clearance issues.

Mr McEntee won’t be fully out of the Trump orbit, however. Shortly after his announced firing, he was hired by the Trump campaign – which is becoming a landing place for many of the former Trump hands who are unwilling or unable to work in the White House.

Mr McEntee, who was most recently seen travelling to Pennsylvania with Mr Trump for a rally on Saturday, was expected to join the president in California on Tuesday before his sacking.